Abstract/Summary

This paper aims to present the preliminary findings from an ongoing research investigating the business ownership experience of women owner-managers of small UK construction firms. The theoretical lens for this research is the social identity approach. Social identity posits that individuals have multiple identities that originate from their individual self-perceptions and social categories. The identification of self-perceptions allows different understandings of the diverse ways that women owner-managers experience the construction industry. Using narrative inquiry and semi-structured interviews with three women owner-managers, the preliminary findings suggest that women owner-managers are pursuing business ownership in construction even though in some cases industry members do not expect to see women in these roles. The self-perceptions identified from the participants regarding their experience in the industry could be interpreted as positive. The findings further reveal their commitment as business owners to long-term career goals. The exploratory findings of the experience of women owner-managers in construction might assist to counter the fact that they seemingly remain without a voice in the literature.